Moldova's vine-growing, wine-making sectors hit by last April frost, snow at level of 43 per cent

15:45 | 12.05.2017 Category: Economic

Chisinau, 12 May /MOLDPRES/ – The degree of damage to the wine sector is 43 per cent due to the late frosts and heavy snowfall of 20-21 April 2017. Generally, there suffered about 1,400 hectares of 170 households, and most affected occurred young vine that did not resist too much snow.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Iurie Usurelu, mentioned at a press conference on 12 May, that the most affected districts were Telenesti, Ialoveni, Calarasi, Ialoveni, Causeni and Taraclia, and the largest areas compromised were registered in Calarasi, Ialoveni, Basarabeasca, Taraclia and Cahul districts.

According to the official, by the data collected from 29 districts, natural disasters affected the agricultural plantations on an area of 34.5 thousand hectares, the degree of damage ranging from 5 to 100 per cent. Among the fruit crops, the apple trees suffered mostly.

Also, Deputy Minister Iurie Usurelu stated that following the checks carried out by the working groups in the territory, it was found that some data on the weather caused damages were exaggerated by the district agricultural directorates and the farmers. Thus, the sowing areas (especially sunflower and maize), which were supposed to be completely affected at the time of inspection by the working groups, were in good condition and the degree of damage was set at a maximum of 5-10 per cent. Similar cases have been recorded in fruit plantations of different species.

"This weather is a lesson for the farmers to learn. The point is that some of them did not respect the term of land sowing, seeking to mislead nature. It is good to know that we do not plant in inaccessible places and the seeds have to be certified by the State Commission for the validation of valuable varieties," said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry.

The profile ministry is to carry out more controls in the territory, and in over 90 days the damages will be definitively assessed and the farmers will get compensations.

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor L. Alcaza)

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